Towel lock rack



' TOWEL LOCK RACK Filed Dec. 28, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 JNVENTOR. SAMUEL TRlTT Aug. 4, 1953 s. TRITT 2,647,641

' TOWEL LOCK RACK Filed Dec. 28, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INK/"EN TOR. SAMUEL TRITT Patented Aug. 4, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE TOWEL LOCK RACK Samuel Tritt, Bronx, N. Y. Application December 28, 1948, Serial No. 67,639

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a towel rack.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of an improved towel rack wherein the weight of the towel engaged over the bar of the rack will cause the rack to function to clamp the towel in position thereon and prevent it from falling off the bar.

Another object of the present invention proposes characterizing the towel rack by a pair of spaced forward extending parallel brackets formed with downwardly and rearwardly inclined slots between which a towel bar is slidably sup-- ported to normally assume a position at the lower ends of the slots in a manner to clamp the towel engaged over the bar between the bar and elonated back member from which the brackets extend.

It is another object of the present invention to provide the brackets with notches continuing from the bottom walls of the slots at the top ends of the slots into which the ends of the bar may be engaged with a slight twisting motion in a manner to retain the towel supporting bar in position at the top ends of the slots in a manner to permit the towel or towels to be easily engaged in position over the towel bar.

A still further object of the present invention proposes so arranging the notches that the ends cross-section with the arms thereof extended horizontally and vertically when the ends of the bar are engaged with the slots and to reversely bevel the free ends of the arms toform pointed portions in a manner to better grip the surfaces of the towel engaged over the bar.

Still another object of the present invention proposes so arranging the slots that their lower ends will be located in close proximity to the back 1 Claim. (01. 211-49) member in a manner so that when the ends of ence will be had to the following description and slots [6.

accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the towel rack constructed in accordance with the present invention with the bar retained in its elevated position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a partial longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken on the line 'l'! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of Fig. 1, but with the bar in its lowered position.

Fig. 9 is a perspective of the back member and brackets, per se.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the cross-shaped bar, per se.

The towel rack, according to the present invention, includes a back member ID for attachment to a vertical surface and from the ends of which a pair of brackets II extend. As will be clearly understood from Figs. 1, 2 and 9, the brackets H are integrally formed with the back member or plate In and those parts are preferably molded of any one of the well known thermoplastic materials. The brackets l I extend forward from the ends of the back member l0 parallel to each other.

The back face of the back member 10 is formed about its periphery with an integrally formed stiffening flange l2 and a plurality of integrally formed stiffening ribs 13. At spaced points, the

back member ID is formed with holes l4 through which screws may be passed for securing the back to the vertical surface.

A towel bar I5 is extended between the adjacent inner faces of the brackets I I and the brackets H are formed with diagonally positioned slots l6 which are inclined downward and rearward toward the back member It. The ends of the bar 15 have attached thereto square portions ll, see Figs. 6 and 10, which slidably engage the The outer ends of the square portions [1 are formed with enlarged heads it which engage the outer faces of the brackets II and prevent the square portions H from becoming disengaged from the slots l6.

The bar [5 is preferably formed of one of the well known thermoplastic materials and the square portions I1 and the knobs or heads I8 are integrally formed also of one of the well known thermoplastic materials. The square portions I! are arranged to be passed through the slots I6 from the outer sides of the brackets and to have their inner ends attached to adjacent ends of the bar I5 by successive heating and cooling steps which will cause the thermoplastic materials from which the bar I5 and the square portions H are formed to become fused into one integral unit.

The outer periphery of the inner faces of the brackets II are reinforced by integrally formed peripheral flanges i9. Likewise, the edges of the brackets I I defining the slots I5 are reinforced by flanges 211 formed on the inner faces of the brackets II.

Each of the brackets I I is formed with a notch 2| which continues from the bottom wall of the slot at the top end thereof. The notches taper in thickness as they approach the top ends of the slots I6, so that the top ends of the slots are just as wide as the bottom ends. The bottom walls of the notches are inclined downward and rearward at a greater angle than the bottom walls of the slots I6 forming shoulders between the adjacent ends. of the bottom walls, see Figs. 5., 6 and 8. When the bar I5 is manually lifted to the top ends of the slots I6, the square portions I! are arranged to be engaged into the notches ill with a slight forward twisting motion to assume the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 to position those square ends in front of the shoulders and hold the bar 15. in the elevated position in the slots I6 so that the towel or towels may be engaged over the bar with ease.

The bar I5 is cross-shaped in cross-section, see Fig. 5, and the square portions I"! are so attached to the ends of the bar that. the arms or crossed vanes 22 thereof will extend vertically and horizontally therefrom forming a cross. The outer ends of the arms 22 of the bar I5 are formed with reverse bevels forming pointed portions 23 along the length of the bar I5 to more securely grip and hold the contacting surfaces of the towel engaged over the bar. The inner arm 22 of the bar I5 is preferably longer than the other three arms so that this arm may reach closer to the back member it when the bar is in its lower position. The longer arm. 22 makes the device more suitable to lock thinner towels. For thicker towels, one of the shorter arms, 22 may be made to face the back member It.

The square portions Il have a width closely approximating the. width of the slots It so that they are free to slide up and down in the slots but. they cannot be twisted or turned therein. The lower ends of the slots I6 areso located with relation to the front face of the back member that when the square portions are located in the bottom ends of the slots It, the pointed portion 23 of the backmost arm 22 of the bar I5 will be in facial contact with the front face of the back member I with no towel engaged over the bar. Thus, when a towel is engaged over the bar and the bar I is moved to its lowered position in the slots IS, a portion of the towel will be clamped between the front face of the back member It and the pointed portion 23 of the backmost arm of the bar I5. That portion of the towel will prevent the square portions ll of the bar I5 from assuming their lowermost positions in the slots I 6. Nevertheless, the weight of the towel on the bar I5 will exert a force which will continually draw downward on the bar and cause the pointed portion 23 of the backmost arm 22 of the bar I5 to dig into the surface of the towel and securely clamp the same in position between that pointed portion 23 and the front face of the back member ID. However, when an upward pull is applied to the towel to remove it from the bar, that portion of the towel which depends from the back of the bar will be freely drawn from between the. bar I5. and the adjacent face of the back member.

The operation of the towel rack constructed in accordance with the present invention is as follows:

Normally, the square portions I! of the bar I5 will seek a lowered position in the slots It, as shown in Fig. 8. To retain the bar in an elevated position to facilitate engaging a towel over the bar I5, it is merely necessary to pull upward and forward on the bar which will cause the square portions I1 to move upward in the slots IE. When the square portions IT reach the top ends of the slots, a slight twisting motion on the bar I5, in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5, will cause the bottom corners of the square portions IT to enter the notches 2|, as shown in Fig. 6, and retain the bar in its elevated position. In this elevated position, a towel may be easily engaged in position over the bar I5.

To release the bar I5 to assume its lowered position in the slots I6 and clamp the towel in position over the bar I5 with the pointed portion 23 of the backmost arm 22 of the bar pressing the towel against the front face of the back member II], it is merely necessary to apply a slight force to the bottom of the bar in an upward and slightly rearward direction. This will cause the bar I5 to be twisted in a clockwise direction, as the top corners of the square portions il will be substantially located in the top corners of the slots I6, as shown in Fig. 6, providing the fulcrum about which the square portions will twist. Such twisting motion will align the square portions I! with the slots I6 freeing the bar I5 to slide downward under its own weight ]plus the weight of the towel engaged over the While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the. appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by United states Letters Patent is:

In a towel clamping towel rack, the combination which comprises aback plate having flanges at the edges and ribs intermediate of the edgs, said flanges and ribs-extended from the rear surface of the plate for spacing. the face of the plate from a wall surface to prevent contact of a towel on the. rack with the surface of a wall upon which the rack is positioned, bracketshaving diagonally positioned slots therein extended from the ends of the plate, said slots being inclined upwardly from the plate and having notches providing shoulders in the upper ends. and a towel holding bar including crossed vanes whereby the bar forms a cross in cross-section, with sections having fiat sides at the. ends of the vanes, and having knobs at the ends carried by the brackets with the ends extended through the slots thereof and A) with the sections having fiat sides positioned to engage the edges of the slots whereby the vanes are retained in vertical and horizontal positions, said shoulders in the upper ends of the slots being positioned to retain the bar in the upper parts of the brackets.

SAMUEL TRITT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 702,537 Burley June 17, 1902 Number Number 10 471,646

Name Date Kern Oct. 24, 1916 Meagher Apr. 1, 1930 Hoar Apr. 9, 1935 Resnick Mar. 19, 1946 Whitney Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France July 16, 1914 

